Phlox plant named ‘Plumtastic’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Phlox  plant named, ‘Plumtastic’, that is characterized by its low dense groundcover habit, its petals that overlap for one-half to three-quarters of their length, its flowers that emerge light rose pink in color, ageing to a medium and then dark rose to red-violet color, its flowers that emerge with a large, distinct center eye that is white in color and fills with pigment as the flowers age, its small petal striae that form two distinct dark violet lines at the base of each petal lobe and persist for the life of the flower, and its flowers that cover 90% of the plant at peak bloom.

Botanical classification: Phlox subulata×Phlox kelseyi.

Cultivar designation: ‘Plumtastic’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant, botanically an interspecific hybrid known as Phlox ‘Plumtastic’ and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Plumtastic’. The new cultivar represents a new moss phlox, a herbaceous perennial grown for landscape use.

The new invention arose from an ongoing controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Glencoe, Ill. The objectives of the breeding program are to develop improved cultivars of interspecific Phlox hybrids with novel ornamental traits such as unique flower colors, plant habits, flower fragrance and adaptability to garden conditions in the upper Midwest (U.S.D.A. Zone 5) and similar climates.

‘Plumtastic’ was derived from a cross made in April of 2010 under controlled conditions between Phlox subulata ‘Fort Hill’ (not patented) as the female parent and Phlox kelseyi ‘Lemhi Midnight’ (not patented) as the male parent. The resulting seedlings were planted for evaluation in June of 2011. ‘Plumtastic’ was selected in May of 2012 as a single unique plant from amongst the resulting seedlings.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by shoot tip cuttings by the Inventor in May of 2012 in Glencoe, Ill. Asexual propagation by shoot tip cuttings has determined that the characteristics of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Plumtastic’ as a unique cultivar of Phlox.

-   -   1. ‘Plumtastic’ exhibits a low dense groundcover habit that is         shorter in height than for most Phlox.     -   2. ‘Plumtastic’ exhibits petals that overlap for one-half to         three-quarters of their length.     -   3. ‘Plumtastic’ exhibits flowers that emerge light rose pink in         color, ageing to a medium and then dark rose to red-violet         color.     -   4. ‘Plumtastic’ exhibits flowers that emerge with a large,         distinct center eye that is white in color and fills with         pigment as the flowers age.     -   5. ‘Plumtastic’ exhibits small petal striae that form two         distinct dark violet lines at the base of each petal lobe and         persist for the life of the flower.     -   6. ‘Plumtastic’ exhibits flowers that cover 90% of the plant at         peak bloom.

The female parent of ‘Plumtastic’, ‘Fort Hill’, differs from ‘Plumtastic’ in having a petal with a more distinct and deep cleft, in having a re-blooming habit, in having flowers that are persistently light rose-pink in color (non-fading), and in having flowers that lack a central eye. The male parent of ‘Plumtastic’, ‘Lemhi Midnight’, differs from ‘Plumtastic’ in having petals that lack striae, in having petals with rounded apices and no cleft, in having flowers that cover 50% or less of the plant at peak bloom, and in having flowers that are persistently deep blue-violet in color (non-fading). ‘Plumtastic’ can be most closely compared to the Phlox subulata cultivar ‘Laura’ (not patented) and the Phlox kelseyi cultivar ‘Lemhi Purple’ (not patented). ‘Laura’ is similar to ‘Plumtastic’ in flower color at anthesis and in having small petal striae that persist for the life of the flower. ‘Laura’ differs from ‘Plumtastic’ in having flowers that remain light violet pink for the life of the flower, in having flowers that are smaller in size, in having flower petals that do not overlap, and in having flowers that lack a central eye. ‘Lemhi Purple’ is similar to ‘Plumtastic’ in having flowers of a similar size and in having a low, spreading mat-forming plant habit that is short for a Phlox moss. ‘Lemhi Purple’ differs from ‘Plumtastic’ in having flowers that lack striae, in having flowers with a central eye that is smaller in size, in having narrow petals that do not overlap, and in having flowers that cover 50% or less of the plant at peak bloom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Phlox. The photographs were taken of three year-old plants ‘Plumtastic’ as grown outdoors in a trail garden in Glencoe, Ill.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a top view of a plant of ‘Plumtastic’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the flowers of ‘Plumtastic’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a view of the low dense groundcover habit of ‘Plumtastic’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the photographic and printing technology utilized and the color values cited in the Detailed Botanical Description accurately describe the colors of the new Phlox.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of three year-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in a trial garden in Glencoe, Ill. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—Blooms for four to five weeks from late             April to late May in northern Illinois.         -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Plant habit.—Low, dense, spreading groundcover.         -   Height and spread.—An average of 7 cm in height and 31 cm in             width.         -   Hardiness.—At least hardy in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 8.         -   Diseases and pests.—Resistance to powdery mildew (caused by             Erysiphe cichoracearum) has been observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous and NN155C in color.         -   Root development.—Shoot tip cutting will root under mist in             four to five weeks in late spring to early summer, rooted             cutting will fully root in a 2.5 inch pot in about three             months and when tranplanted in fall and overwintered in a             4-inch pot, they will bloom the following spring.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate for a moss phlox.         -   Propagation.—Shoot tip cuttings. -   Stem description:     -   -   Stem size.—An average of 13 cm in length and 1 mm in width.         -   Stem shape.—Rounded.         -   Stem strength.—Moderately strong and flexible.         -   Stem color.—Young stems; a blend of 196A and 193A, mature             stems; 162A.         -   Stem surface.—Young stems; very slightly glossy, and             moderately covered with pubescence, mature stems; dull, dry             and paper like and moderately covered with pubescence.         -   Stem aspect.—Held horizontally to descending, drooping and             falling downward.         -   Internode length.—An average of 6 mm.         -   Branching habit.—Well branched, an average of 10 main stems             growing from base of plant. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Lanceolate to linear.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Truncate to cuneate.         -   Leaf apex.—Acute.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, inconspicuous, matches leaf color on             upper and lower surfaces.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire.         -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite and basal rosettes.         -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces slightly glossy, margins and             base moderately covered with pubescence.         -   Leaf texture.—Thick and slightly rubbery.         -   Leaf color.—Upper and lower surface; 139C.         -   Leaf size.—An average of 1.5 cm in length and 2 mm in width.         -   Leaf quantity.—Average per main branch 9 cm in length;             average of 9 basal rosettes, 40 leaves per rosette, a total             average of 360 leaves per main stem.         -   Leaf fragrance.—Fresh grass-like scent. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Panicle on terminus of lateral branches.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About 3 to 4 weeks from the             opening of the first flower to senescence of last flower,             individual flower lasts about 4-5 days.         -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 4 cm in height and 5 cm in             diameter.         -   Flower fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower number.—An average of 5 per inflorescence.         -   Flower aspect.—Upright and outward from stem, upright from             pedicel.         -   Flower bud.—Ovate in shape with broadly acute apex, an             average of 1.6 cm in length and 3 mm in width, color; N78B             to N78C.         -   Flower form.—Salverform.         -   Flower size.—An average of 1.6 cm in height and 2.1 cm in             diameter.         -   Corolla tube.—An average of 1.5 cm in length and 3 mm in             width (apex), color a blend of 75A and 75D both surfaces,             glabrous and satiny surface on both surfaces.         -   Corolla lobes.—5 petals, obcordate in shape, held nearly             horizontally when fully open, overlapping for one-half to             three quarters of length, slightly wavy in aspect, an             average of 1 cm in length and 7 mm in width, apex rounded             and slightly bifid with a broad shallow cleft, base broadly             cuneate and fused to tube, entire margins; color upper             surface when first open a blend between N75A to N75B with a             large central eye N155B and with small striations at the             base N88A; as the petals age color transitions to N80A to             N80C with small striations a blend between N87A and N88A, as             petals near senescence color can transition to as dark as             N81A; the large central eye fills with the same pigmentation             as the rest of the petal surface by day three; the lower             surface when opening and fully open is a blend of N78C to             N78D with a small striations of N77A at base; glabrous and             slightly satiny on upper and lower surfaces.         -   Calyx.—Campanulate in form, comprised of fused sepals with             linear shaped sepal tips free, an average of 1 cm in length             and 3 mm in width.         -   Sepals.—5, primarily fused with free tips, linear in shape,             entire margins, fused base (about 75%), aristulate apex, an             average of 6 mm in length and 1 mm in width, color on inner             and outer surface 145C, inner surface; glabrous, smooth, and             shiny, outer surface; moderately covered with pubescence.         -   Peduncles.—Rounded in shape, an average of 2 cm in length             and 1 mm in width, held upright to outward, moderate in             strength, color; 145A to 145C, surface satiny and moderately             covered with pubescence.         -   Pedicels.—Rounded in shape, an average of 1.5 cm in length             and 1 mm in width, held upright to outward, moderate in             strength, color; 145C, surface satiny and moderatelycovered             with pubescence. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil, stigma; tri-lobed, each lobe is about 1             mm in length and N144A in color, style; about 0.9 cm in             length and 0.3 mm in width, N144A in color, ovary; superior,             ovate to oval in shape, about 2 mm in length and width, 141C             in color.         -   Androcoecium.—5 stamens, anthers; dorsifixed, oblong in             shape, 1.3 mm in length, and 23A in color, filaments; adnate             to petals, an average of 5 mm in length and 155C in color,             pollen is abundant in quantity and 23A in color.         -   Seeds.—None observed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant named ‘Plumtastic’ as herein illustrated and described. 